Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media

Evan Lloyd

Sun 17 May 2026 10:17, UK

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West Ham United may well make a return for Arsenal midfielder Fabio Vieira this summer, if they can avoid relegation from the Premier League.

The Hammers considered entering the race for the 25-year-old last summer and may regret ultimately opting against it, considering the season he has had.

Vieira joined Arsenal from FC Porto in 2022, signing a five-year contract in a deal worth around £30million.

Three seasons at the Emirates Stadium saw the Portugal youth international struggle amid a lack of opportunities, but a loan move to Hamburg appears to have changed everything.

West Ham transfer chiefs and much of Europe have been watching on as the midfielder has starred in the Bundesliga this season, playing a key role in his team’s survival.

West Ham can sign Fabio Vieira for £20million

West Ham have been tipped for relegation in recent weeks, but there still remains a strong chance of survival for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

Should the Hammers beat Newcastle United on Sunday, they will rise out of the Premier League’s relegation zone and place massive pressure on Tottenham to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Either way, the summer transfer window will be hugely important for decision-makers at the London Stadium, although the likes of Vieira will be out of reach in the Championship.

The 25-year-old has found his feet at Hamburg this season, scoring his seventh Bundesliga goal on Saturday in potentially his final appearance.

And it was a stunning goal, the midfielder picking the ball up outside the box before bending it into the far corner.

Hamburg are desperate to sign Vieira, and have an option to buy worth around £20m included in the deal that saw him arrive from Arsenal.

The problem is that the German club’s record signing, Filip Kostic, cost them around £12m in 2017.

With Hamburg set to struggle with the fee required, Arsenal will hope to see their asking price met by another club.

What Vieira has said on his future

Considering the return of Ethan Nwaneri and the continued breakthrough of Max Dowman, Vieira’s exit at Arsenal this summer is almost guaranteed.

And while the Gunners struggled to part ways with him last summer, they will hope a strong season will make a permanent sale easy to pull off in the coming weeks.

“Everyone knows I still have a contract with Arsenal,” Vieira said when asked about his future in March. “So let’s wait until the end of the season. Then we’ll talk about it and see what we can do.”

West Ham’s chances of landing the 25-year-old depend on the next week of Premier League action, with two games set to define the coming years.